sports » B’nai B’rith League Keeps On Rolling Steve Stein | Contributing Writer T he second-year Downtown Fox-MLZG B’nai B’rith bowl- ing league has 22 teams in its lineup, matching the total of its inaugural year. But it isn’t a case of status quo. League President Justin Kaplan said three teams dropped out after last season for a variety of reasons. They were replaced by three new teams. First-half competition ended Dec. 15 with tight races for the top spots in the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv divisions. Position-round matches between the first- place Eagles and second-place Our Gang in the Jerusalem Division and first-place L’chaim and second-place Internationals in the Tel Aviv Division determined the winners. Match results and final standings were still being calculated last week, but the top games and series of the first half were known. The best scratch game was a 278 bowled by David Moss. Kaplan had the best scratch series with 247-268-211— 726. High game with handicap was Josh Alpert’s 306. Best handicap series was 808 by Tom Jacob. “We have an amazing group of guys,” Kaplan said. “It seems like the camara- derie gets better and better. We’re a 90 percent handicap league, which makes it fair for everyone. People who are new to bowling can compete with guys who have bowled for a long time.” Second-half competition began Tuesday (Jan. 5) and will continue weekly through April 12, but bowlers can still join the league. Contact Kaplan at justin-kaplan@comcast.net. The league bowls at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Drakeshire Lanes in Farmington Hills. ON THE BALLOT Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus is on the 2016 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. The former catcher was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. He played in 1,971 major league games, the most of any Jewish player, during an 18-season career that included time with the San Diego Padres, Tigers, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s fifth in hits (1,579) and eighth in RBIs (607) among Jewish major leaguers. He played in the All-Star Game in 1999 when he was with the Tigers, and he was a Gold Glove Winner in 2001, 2002 and 2006 when he was with the Astros. Now 46, Ausmus is heading into his third season as the Tigers’ manager. His record is 164-159. Ausmus must get at least 5 percent of votes from members of the Baseball Writers Association of America to remain on the Hall of Fame ballot. Results will be announced this month. Even though he was an outstanding defensive catcher, Ausmus’ career .251 batting average makes him an unlikely candidate to garner the necessary votes to stay on the ballot. Ausmus’ mother is Jewish. He man- aged the Israel team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. LITTLE BIG MAN Daniel Braverman isn’t a big guy. He’s listed at 5 feet 10 inches, 177 pounds in the Western Michigan University football guide. But the redshirt junior wide receiver from Miramar, Fla., put up some big numbers this season for the Broncos. Among NCAA Division I receivers for regular-season games, he was No. 2 in receptions (103), tied for sixth in touchdown catches (12) and 10th in pass receiving yardage (1,266). He also had nine punt returns for 84 yards and two kickoff returns for 40 yards. Those statistics earned Braverman second team honors on the All-Mid- American Conference team. Western Michigan beat Middle Tennessee State 45-31 on Dec. 24 in the Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl in Nassau. Braverman caught five passes for 101 yards, including a 68-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter. It was the first bowl victory in team history for the Broncos, who had lost their previous six bowl games. Western Michigan finished 8-5 for the second straight year. * Send sports news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com. 2060350 A glass to break ~ MAZEL TOV! Colors Available: ‡5XE\ ‡&REDOW%OXH ‡(PHUDOG ‡3XUSOH ‡7XUNLVK%OXH ‡*ROG ‡6LOYHU Available at: Tradition! Tradition! Celebrating 26 Years!! Call Alicia R. Nelson 248.557.0109 www.traditiontradition.com January 7 • 2016 2049510 41